Assig-noe of xthree



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. ESTY. l 'KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 322,361. Patented'July 14.1885..

Wibsses.-

. N. PETERS. Pholvl-Mmgmphnr, Washlngion. D. C

(NQ Model.) shawl-sheet 2.

W. BSTY.

\ KNITTING MACHINE. No. 322,361. PatentedJuly 14', 1885.

' Figs.

Witnesses:

N J M f 5% UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICEO.

WILLIAM ESTY, OF LACONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- SIXTHS TO JOHN T. BUSIEL, CHARLES A.BUSI EL, .AND FRANK E.`

BUSIEL, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

KNITTlNe-MACHINE..

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 322,361, dated July 14, 1885.

Application filed August l0, 1883. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom, it may concern;-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM EsTY`,' of Laconia, in the county of Belknap and'St-ate of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knitting-Machines, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification. i

My invention relates to `that class of knitting-machines known as v straight-row knitting-machines; and it has for its object the simplication of the sinkers and mechanism for operating the needles and sinkers, whereby many parts are dispensed with, thereby I 5 greatly diminishing the cost, while the work performed is done in a much more effectual manner, as will be more fullyT understoodby reference to the description of the drawings and the claims to be hereinafter given. 2Q In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of so :much of a knitting-machine as is necessary to showmy invention. Fig.2is a front elevation of same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of same. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical 2 5 section ofthe adjustable bearingfor the sinkercam. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a side and front elevation ofthe sinker. Fig. 7 is an inverted plan of the needle cam-bar, showing the relation of the needles thereto; and Fig. 8 3o is a front elevation lof the sinker-cam, showing the relation of the sinkers thereto. Figs. 1 and 2 are drawn' to a smaller scale than the other gures. d

A is the needle-bar, firmly secured to the 3 5 frame B of the machine, and provided in its upper surface with a series of `transverse grooves, a, in which the latch-needles b are reciprocated by the action upon the projection or lug c of the needles of the eam- 4o path d, formed in the bar C, which is reciprocated lengthwise of the machine by means of any known mechanism acting upon the pin c, which is rmly secured at one end of said bar C. The cam-path d is provided with the central throw,f, of a shape adapted to move the needles b outward beyond their normal positions at the proper time to catch on their hooks the yarn as it is delivered by the yarncarrier g, which is adjustably secured to the 5o upper surface of the needle cam-bar C, said throw fof the `cam-path d being of such a shape and length in the direction of the length of the bar C that only two or three ofthe needles can bef extended to the extreme outward position at the same time, thus rendering it possible for the majority of the needles to occupy their normal positions, where they are retained by the straight portions of thecam-path d until the inclined or angular portions of said i cam-path, acting upon thelugs e of the needles, A6o move them inwardor outward.

Upon 'each side of the throw f in the cam-1 path d is formed a reverse throw, 7L, adapted to retract the needles vbeyond their normal positions, which is an important feature of my invention, its object being to make all the loops, asthe knitting progresses, of the required length, and drawthe yarn tight around the sinkers, and then give a slight forward movement to the needles to relieve the strain 7o on the yarn. l d

The operation of this part of my invention is as follows: The needles being in their normal positions, as shown in Fig. 3, with their i front ends even withthe breasts of the sinkers i, if the bar G be moved endwise, the re'- verse throw h, coming in contact with the lugs c di' the needles l), moves said needles slightly to the rear, when the throw j', coming into ael tion, movesthe needles forward through the 8o loops already formed, thereby opening the latches, so that the hooks, when in the position shown in'Fig. 7,1nay catch the yarn as it comes from itscarrier before the needles return to their normal positions, where the yarn, 8 5 coming in contact with the breast of the sinkers t', is held, while the needles are drawn back beyond their -normal positions by the other incline of the throw f, sufficiently far to draw the yarn taut around the sinkers and dei-` 9o nitely determine the length of the loops, when the throw h of the cam-path d, acting upon the d r lugs c, returns the needles Vto their normal positions.

The object or oficeof the reverse throw h, when itacts upon the needles after the needles have been drawn back to form the loop by the throw f, is to relieve the strain on the yarn, and is useless when its action upon the needles` precedes the actionof the throw j ,j roc but as the needles are to be operated `by the cam-bar C when it moves in either direction it follows that, in order to relieve the strain on the yarn after the formation of each loop, the throw h must be formed upon each side of the throw f, as shown.

The sinkers t are made of thin sheet metal, and are adapted tov slide midway between the needles in slots eut in the front frame, D, by the action upon the lugs j thereof of the path-cam 7c, formed in the bar E, which is provided with bearings in the slides F,A adapted to be adjusted in the slots l, formed in the frame D. n

The sinkers t are provided at their upper ends with hooks m, the rear or lower edges of which are inclined at an acute angle to the front vertical edges of the shanks or bodies of said sinkers, and are adapted, when said sinkers are depressed to their normal positions, to press the yarn down close upon the needles, and to hold it from being carried forward or back by the needles, thus causing the loops to be shed when the needles are drawn back, and also doing away with the necessity for using a weight or tension-rollers on the fabric being knit.

The normal position of the sinker is with the point of its hook on a level with the under side of the needle, and all of the sinkers occupy this position at all times, except when the lugs j of said sinkers are being acted upon by the throws in the cam-path 7c of the bar E, to lift or depress said sinkers, and as the extent of the throw p ofthe path 7c in the direction of the length ofthe bar Eis such that only three or'four of the sinkers are-in the highest position at the same time, it follows that the greater part of the sinkers are in said normal position at all times, and pressing` the yarn and holding it firmly on the needles. rPhe movement of the bar E should be so timed that when the needles b are moved forward by the action ofthe throw j' of the cam-path d upon the lugs c the sinkers contiguous to those needles that are just commencing to move forward should be acted upon by the throw o of the campath k to depress the sinkers below their normal positions, and thus effectually prevent the fabric from being pushed forward with the forward movement f the needles. As the needles are returning, the contiguous sinkers are acted upon by the throw p ofthe cam-path It, thereby being lifted to allow the needles to bring yarn which they have just secured beneath the hooks m, and against the breasts of the sinkers, which are then drawn down by the throw p to a point slightly below their normal positions7 to insure the drawing of the loop into the angle formed by the hook of the sinker with its breast, and also to prevent the needles, in their advance movement, coming in contact with and breaking the loop, as is often the case when the extra downward movement is not given to the sinkers, owin g to the spring or elasticity of the yarn, which often causes the loops tospring upward in front of the ends of the needles, and after the needles have been moved forward through 'the loops the sinkers are returned to their normal positions, to relieve the strain on the yarn, in which position they iirmly hold the yarn against the removed therefrom, a throw, o, which acts 'i upon the sinkers to depress them below said normal positions j ust as the needles commence to move outward, thereby efectually preventing the yarn from being carried outward by the needles. This is a great advantage in insurin g the proper formation of the stitch and the production of smooth and even work.

rEhe frame D is provided with a groove, q, extending its whole length, in which the bar E is adapted to be vertically adjusted by means of the adjustable slides F, which move vertically in the slot-s l in the frame D, and are secured in any desired position by the screws fr, as shown in Fig. 4. The bar C may also be adjusted by means of the slotted bearings H and the screws s.

To one end of the bar C is secured the bent arm I, one end of which extends into a notch cut in the upper side of the bar E, from t to u, the object of which is to cause one bar to move the other.

IOO

As shown in the drawings, with the'arm'I in contact with the shoulder t, if the bar C is moved to the left the bar E will be moved in unison therewith until they have reached the extreme limit of their movement in that direction, when if the motion of the bar 'C is reversed it will move alone toward the right until the arm I comes in contact with the shoulder o on the bar E, when both bars will move in unison till they have reached the limit of their motion in that direction.. This loss of motion in the bar E is necessary, in order that the forward movement ofthe needles may precede the upward movement of the contiguous sinkers at all times.

Any known or equivalent mechanism for producing the same result may be used instead of the arm I and the notch tu without affecting the principles of my invention. Y

A great advantage is obtained by the combinations and arrangements oi the needle and sinker operating mechanisms and the peculiarly-shaped sinker-hook, on account of the greater security with which the work is held during the operation of forming the stitch, due to the extra down ward movement of the sinker, the extra backward movement of the needle, and th at the peculiar form of the hook permits said sinker to be depressed so that the point of its hook is considerably below the loop of yarn held by its shank without straining the IOS yarn after the length of the loop has been determined` What I claim as new, and desire to secure ,F by Letters Patent of the United States, isfr 5 1. A series of vertical sliding sinkers, in combination with the reciprocating bar E, provided with the path k, having throws o o and p, all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes described. 1o 2. The combination ofthe bar C, provided with the cam-path d, having the throws Il) h and f, the needles b, provided with the lugs c, the bar E,provided with the cam-path lc, having the throws 0 o and p, arranged with respect to each other as set forth7 'and the sinkers t', provided with the lugs j and the hooks m, substantially as described. p Y

3. In combination with the needles b b and `the bars O and E, provided, respectively, with zo the cam-paths d and lcand suitable supports for said bars, a series of sinkers, t' i, each' provided at its upper end witha hook, the back or under side of which presents a straight edge and forms an acute angle with the breast or front l vertical edge `of the body of the sinker, all arz 5 ranged and adapted `to operate to form the loop upon the bodyr of the sinkerin front of or below said hook and draw said loop into the angle of and above the point of said hook without straining the yarn or changing the 3o length of the loop after it has been once determined, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 7th day of Au- 3 5 p gust, A.'D. 1883.

WILLIAM ESTVY. Witnesses: j

FRANK EDGERLY, FRANK W. REEVES. 

